As the dark crept into the sky
by Gigi-Bell
Summary: He craved power, and was at no limit to get what he wanted, all he had to do was wait, wait for that day when he receives it. Cecile knew she had to do something, but what and at what cost? To save all.
1. Death of a king

The time had come for King Abraham to retire his throne, he was getting older and weaker by the day, and he knew it was time for his son Prince Derek to take control of the kingdom he loved and the people who loved him.

Prince Derek was far different than his father, he craved power, and was at no limit to get what he wanted, all he had to do was wait, wait for that day when he receives the king's ring. Prince Derek's dream did not come soon enough, it was the eve of his 27th year, and the kings guards summoned him to his father's room.

"My son." King Abraham weakly motioned for him to come closer.

"I was given this by my father and now I pass it on to you. Remember be kind to your public, give them a leader they can trust and think wisely my child."

"I shall be a grand ruler father, I plan on victorious a defeat of King Simon over that territory reaches out to the ocean and with that we will have the largest kingdom and I shall be its king." Prince Derek answered his father with much pride in himself, but he was a virgin when it came to being a war hero, he had never once gone out on a battle field, except only after the greatest conquers were over.

King Abraham was shaken by his sons meaning of life, was this how he was going to run the kingdom he was give? Abraham fought long and hard to keep his kingdom in good ties with the neighboring ones, now his heir was going to destroy it all for some action and more land. He was scared for his people, but it was to late his son was the only one the kingdom could be turned over to. He praised God for taking him now so he would not see the result of Derek's mess, and he would pray for a miracle to stop him.

" You'll need a male heir to inherit the throne after your death, my son." Abraham said as he grew weaker. "One thing you must achieve."

"I have two sons father." Derek replied.

"From a mistress." Cardinal Whitely said butting in. "You need an beneficiary of royal blood young prince, those children of yours would never be heirs to this throne."

Prince Derek shot his an icy glare.

"You need to find yourself a bride and bed her before you go about killing." Cardinal Whitely continued. "get yourself a proper heir."

"I am getting closer." The King said softly. "Derek be a good king, use your mind and your heart, not you army."

"Leave us now, for last confusion." Cardinal Whitely ordered.

Later that week King Abraham died in his sleep. Prince Derek was now King, ruler of a kingdom that was as far as the eye could see and yet he still wanted more.

Derek lay in his bathtub looking at the reflection of himself. His messy dark brown hair whirled around the top of his head, his thick eyebrow and hooked nose set the perfect setting for his beautiful chocolate eyes, they were from is mother, he closed his eyes and tried to picture her, but it had been many years since her death and he was only a child than, her looks where jumbled and all he could see where her eyes. Derek opened his and continued to look in the water and there he saw the scar, askew upon his cheek to the middle of his upper lip lay the scar, given to him one night by a drunk knight who was up to no good. He brought his finger to his lips and traced the thin line, quickly Derek pulled himself out of this trance and splashed the water with that high hand.


	2. Worries

" Father he wants a war." Cecile said intensely to her father. "He is mad and that king, you know his people are going follow his orders, if that war happens we will be no more! He controls a mighty army!"

"My dear child, you worry to much." Her father answered as he walked back from the window. "Cecile, stop pulling my worries on to yourself. You are far to young to be so tense." The king let out a horse laugh.

Cecile brought herself to smile, but her eyes still shown her worry.

King Simon walked back over to his window, he stared down at the village that laid within the castle's walls. " If it's a war he wants, I'll have to fight back."

Simon turned back to his daughter and looked deep into her gray eyes, "you know," he started. "If something where to happen to me, I give all my power to you." He reach out and grabbed and held tight her hands.

"What about Jonah? He is your male heir." Cecile said questionably.

"He is still young, he has much to learn about the world." He responded. "You are a strong woman, a modern day Joan of Arc." King Simon released his daughter hands, and bent over her giving her a kiss on the forehead and he walked away.

Cecile knew she had to do something, but what and at what cost? She knew the army of the land was far smaller than those of King Derek's, there was would be too much blood lost only to lose this war of land.

King Simon knew his daughter was a strong willed, she do anything for her family and her kingdom. She would have made the perfect son, he thought to himself.

That night Cecile pondered ideas and walked back and forth while she did.

Her russet nightgown kept her from moving to fast as she turned when she met the wall.

"This maybe the only thing that may work." She thought aloud. "It will save lives on both sides."

Cecile stop in front of her mirror, she tucked her gown tight around her back so that her feminine curves shown through. She never really thought of herself as pretty of course she rarely ever looked at herself. Her face was almost heart shaped and her small features that seemed to fit into place, as did her long golden hair as it made its way down her shoulders and her upper back where it curled up at the ends.

Her skin was a pinky tone, Cecile looked down at her feet and she giggled as she noticed that her feet where nearly the color violet from walking on the cold granite floor.

"Your highness, we have received news that King Simon will be arriving in less than a fort night." A messenger knight alerts King Derek.

"Ah, whimpering out is his? I knew that silly old man was as weak hearted as my father." Derek said amused, he had been in full power for less then a year and already he was feared by other, or so the thought.


	3. The offer

The journey took nearly a full week to reach the lands under control of the young king. King Simon and his daughter reached that point their caravan was met by a group of armed soldiers all bearing the flag of their kingdom.

"King Simon." The one on the largest horse called out. "I am to lead you the castle myself , in order to protect your well being."

"Father, don't!" Cecile cried as her fathered opened the carriage door and stepped out to greet the man who called him. "It's alright child." He said patting her hand and turning and met the man.

"I presume we're not far." King Simon asked while stretching. "my old legs have nearly formed to the seat." He joked, hoping to get something out to the stern looking soldier, he got half a smile. "We'll be there before dark." He answered back.

King Simon stepped back in and looked his irritated daughter in the face. "See nothing happened, your father just need a look around."

"There's a clear view from the windows." She huffed.

"Cecile you never need to come, this is a just a boring meeting between two stubborn kings and that's no place for you." Simon held his daughter's chin in his hand, "though your beauty may be to our advantage to avoid this whole thing." He laughed.

"That's my plan." Cecile mumbled.

"What dear?"

"I have my own offer for King Derek father, I know our arms are not as strong has his and so in order to spare the people of this I will offer myself to him." Cecile finished her speech. Her father didn't answer and that caused a shiver to go through her.

"No! Absolutely not!" King Simon bellowed

"But father!."

"No, this is not yours to worry about." There was angry in his voice.

"They are my people too!" Cecile shouted back.

"You are a child, more than that you are a woman! No power goes to you!" The king hollered, he's face red and his breathing heavy.

Taken aghast Cecile didn't speak, instead she turned her face from him a just stared out the window for the rest of the days drive.

Just as the man on the horse had said, they reached the castle dwelling just as dark crept into the sky.


End file.
